The holidays are quickly approaching and shoppers will be rushing to purchase and ship last minute gifts. At the top of many lists are the latest toys and electronics for kids. According to the National Retail Federation, 44 percent of shoppers plan to buy toys and 33 percent plan to buy electronics to give as holiday gifts in 2013. Better Business Bureau serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington urges consumers to purchase with care when considering gifts for children.
181,000 children under the age of 12 were taken to emergency rooms across the country in 2012 with toy-related injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Many of these injuries could have been prevented with a few simple proactive steps:
1) Check the most current list of recalled products at cpsc.gov/en/Recalls.
2) Make sure that toys are age-appropriate.
3) Read and adhere to packaging labels.
For the first time ever, a recent NRF survey found that tablets and game consoles are among the most-requested gifts by both girls and boys.
1) Check the Electronic Software Rating Board’s rating of video games, software and apps at esrb.org/ratings before making purchases.
2) Avoid extended warranties, which are expensive and rarely worth the cost.
3) Adults should register devices for children and explain the dangers of giving out personal information to strangers.
With hundreds of millions of packages expected to be sent between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s important to remember the appropriate shipping deadlines for getting gifts under trees on time:
- United States Postal Service: Saturday, Dec. 14—Standard Post
- FedEx: Tuesday, Dec. 17—Standard Ground & Home Delivery
- United Parcel Service: Friday, Dec. 20—Standard UPS Ground
Issues with toys and electronics are not new, read the Toys and Tech: Shopping Advice article in BBB’s News Center for more information.
Happy holidays from BBB; may the desired gifts be in stock and on sale.
